The invention relates to a device for detecting sulfuryl fluoride and to a method for detecting sulfuryl fluoride.
Sulfuryl fluoride (SO2F2) is for instance used as a fumigant for killing insects. Sealed rooms in a building are fumigated, using a predetermined action time. The measurement task is on the one hand to trace leaks by way of which the fumigant escapes, and to perform a free measurement after the conclusion of the fumigation.
For detecting sulfuryl fluoride, direct-indicating measuring instruments are known in which SO2F2 is decomposed in a pyrolysis oven, and the resultant sulfur dioxide is detected with a measurement cell. The detection limit is in a range between 0 and 50 ppm. One such measuring instrument is offered by the company doing business as Ansyco, Analytische Systeme und Komponenten GmbH, with the product designation “GF 1900”. Although with the known measuring instrument very low concentrations can be detected, the electrically operated pyrolysis oven requires a heavy battery pack, making the measuring instrument, particularly for leakage measurement, only conditionally portable. The pyrolysis oven furthermore requires major expense for apparatus.
For detecting chlorinated hydrocarbons, it is indeed known from European Patent Disclosure EP 281 938 A1 first to subject the gas specimen to be examined to pyrolysis and then to detect the pyrolysis product, in this case a chlorine compound, with a test tube, but in the known prior art no information can be found on detecting sulfuryl fluoride.